So far the approach into Nawiliwili Harbour was by far the most spectacular and the most daunting. The massive ship negotiated a very narrow entry between a rocky outcrop and a harbour breakwater, and then executed a 180 degree turn to nestle into a rather tight squeeze, helped along by a tug which nuzzled the ship alongside our dock. We had arrived at the Garden Island, Kauai, backdrop for many an old movie, such as Elvis Presley's Blue Hawaii and Steven Spielberg's Jurrassic Park.
If the hills surrounding the harbour were any indication of what the rest of the island has to offer, it would be dramatic indeed.
Ever the optimist, I hoped for 'somewhere walkable' either in Nawiliwili or nearby Lihue, and had not booked any of the adventurous tours such as ziplining, kayaking or river tubing, nor the tamer offerings of bus tours to hidden valleys and movie sets. Our map, handed out to us before arrival, showed the inviting Huleia National WIldlife Refuge, as well as some 'viewpoints' over the Huleia Valley and Menehue Fishpond approximately two miles distance from the harbour. Looked pretty good to me for a hike, even in the steaming heat of mid morning.
We all filed outside the warehouse like building past the obligatory tight security (bring your government issued ID and a ship's card). Tour buses arrived one after the other and loaded their passengers, and quite a large number of free shuttle buses awaited customers as well. They all had destinations such a K-Mart, Walmart, Costco, Rice Shopping Centre and Kukui Grove Shopping Centre as well as Harbour Shopping Centre.
I 'inspected' the road leading to my hoped for hiking destination, the Park, and it looked like a narrow highway without any sidewalks or shoulders where nobody in their right mind would take a hike. I asked one of the local information people, and they assured me that the park was not accessible by foot, and the viewpoint was a turnout for cars. Cross the hike off the list of things to do and survey the shuttles.
I choose a random shuttle, it's driving somewhere, maybe even close to 'downtown' to explore a few historic sites.
No such luck, the buses all more or less terminated in some giant mall (there are only a few thousand residents??) miles away from anything 'walkable'. One could take a taxi, if one could find one. My K-Mart shuttle-shot into the exotic Kauai Garden Island Blue was short lived.
Back to the dock and take a chance with the Harbour Shopping Center and Beach Trolley. That one actually took me somewhere walkable. I left the shopping centre behind and crossed over footbridges spanning a lagoon, and onto a beach backed by a small park on one side, and the Mariott Hotel grounds at the other. The Mariott Hotel had succumbed to a hurricane (taifun) a few years ago, but has been rebuilt in new splendor, somewhat higher thant the local building limitations, where nothing higher than a palm tree is allowed to be constructed.
Lots of surfers, lots of boogie boarders, and many stand up boarders catching the gentle breakers entering through the headland and the breakwater. Some of the local Polynesians had gathered under a tree and enjoyed a morning beach party and spurts of surfing. I wandered up and down the beach, a short way into the well groomed and lush Mariott Resort gardens, visited all the real and fake flower lei sellers, past stores with 'jewelry', Hawaiian shirts and dresses, past the Nawiliwili tavern, and finally settled on a light lunch in one of the beach restaurants. A small basket of French Fries cost $9 and a small beer $8...solid and liquid gold again. The view was delightful from my expensive perch, where dozens of feral chickens pecked amongst the feet of patrons.
I learned my lesson, though. If I return, I either rent a car to explore at my own speed or sign up for one of the tourist tours. Finally I am in mid Pacific Paradise, and no way to gain entry without a car.
Unexpectedly, another one of the Holland America ships, the Volendam, appeared on the horizon and went through a similar tight maneuvre upon entering the harbour and tied up at right angles to Rotterdam at the one remaining dock. Word on deck had it, that she encountered such rough seas trying to anchor off Lahaina, that she diverted to Nawiliwili. Lahaina would have proved impossible for ferrying passengers ashore via tender.
Shortly after the Volendam had docked to the sound of a choir of feral roosters ashore, the Rotterdam cast off and we departed for the last Hawaiian Island, Oahu and Honolulu.
